Invitation
by bmystee
Summary: Today was supposed to be an ordinary day. This is, until I received this special invitation. Mangaverse: Murder Case Arc


**A/N: I love Arthur's character, so I had to give it a go. There's just not enough fanfiction out there about the Murder Case Arc (and it's one of my favorite arcs too! Sad face).**

**I really liked how it's implied that what happened at the Manor drove Arthur to write the rest of his Sherlock Holmes books. So, I thought it'd be fun to play with that idea a bit, and this is the result. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler. Toboso-sensei is too awesome to be replaced. I also do not own the wonderful history of Arthur Conan Doyle. He is truly a magnificent man.**

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**Invitation**

Today was just another ordinary day. I sat at my old wooden desk as I monotonously tapped the rubber end of my pencil against my forehead. A warm cup of Earl Grey made by my loving wife of four years was placed easily within my reach, but I had yet to take a sip. I looked out the window to stare up at the clear blue sky as I listened to the slow rhythmic waves of the calm ocean below. Portsmouth was a beautiful place. I've lived here for many years, yet I still can't help but think that thought every time I spare a look outside. My eyes drifted back to the blank paper laying innocently on my desk and I groaned.

"Look at me! I've been here a good _hour_ and I've still written nothing! At this rate, I'll never become the author I hoped to be!" I sighed and dropped my head in disappointment.

Secretly, I thought to myself that I may have lost my touch. Well, what little I had to begin with. I could feel my insecurities nibbling at my soul. I was far from beaten, but I knew I was weary. Who wouldn't be, in my position? For the past few months, I've been practically chained to this chair, hoping, _praying_ for some inspiration.

"Darling, Mr. Tifferway is here for his appointment," the voice of a songbird brought me back to reality.

I jumped out of my seat in haste and hurriedly straightened out my jacket. "Thank you, dear. I'll see him now."

My wife simply nodded her head and pushed my door all the way open, revealing a smiling old man.

"Hello, Doctor! How's it been, cooped up in here?" The man raised his hand in greeting and steadily made his way towards the extra chair I kept in the room for patients.

"I've been the same as always, Peter. I believe the more important question is how you've been," I helped him to his seat before sitting down myself.

"Much better, thanks. My eye's not as watery anymore and I haven't felt the annoying itch in a few days," Peter replied with a shine I hadn't seen in weeks.

"Well, I'm happy you're feeling better. But just to be on the safe side, let's have a quick look at that eye again..."

And so, I returned to my real life: that of a simple eye doctor. Yes, my passion is for the written word, but that dream is just that. A dream. I _want_ to be an author, oh what I wouldn't give for such a life! But it was not to be. I gave it my best, even managed to get a little story of mine published! But the critics shot me down. Basically called me an amateur with too much time on my hands. Oh, that nearly broke my soul in half. After that horrific experience, I've been fighting for the courage to write again. Something inside me yearned for it, but something else was holding me back.

The evening of this night, I was sitting across my wife, eating the dinner she had painstakingly prepared. The beans were a bit dry, but she was just as young and inexperienced as I was in life. We both waddled through the hard times we lived in and tried to make the best of it.

"...Arthur, earlier today. Were you trying again?" Her question was vague, but she knew I would understand. After all, it was like a stubborn ink blot staining my mind.

"Writing? Yeah...I was trying to, but..." My voice slowly faded in shame.

"Don't worry yourself, dear. You just need a little boost. Don't give up just yet. Go on a little adventure and your inspiration will come to you." She sounded so sure of herself that I couldn't resist chuckling.

"You are ever the optimist, Louisa," I said.

She gave me a cute wink and replied, "Are you doubting my womanly senses, Arthur?"

I laughed again as my spirits were lifted. Maybe it was true. Maybe all I needed was a little adventure. They say all writers must get their inspiration from somewhere. Perhaps a little departure from my daily routine could be a good thing.

"And where exactly would you expect me to find this adventure?" I teased her for her antics.

Her eyes looked towards the ceiling as she seemed to think on her answer. Suddenly, her eyes lit up in delight.

"That reminds me! I found this in the mail today." I watched my wife stand up from her meal to walk towards the living room. She fumbled through a stack of letters before pulling out an envelope stamped with a wax seal. "It's addressed to you."

I extended my hand to take the envelope and proceeded to turn it over in my hands. I noticed immediately the paper used to make the envelope was pristine and of high quality. I took a closer look at the seal and although I couldn't recognize it, I knew it was the seal of a noble family.

I was in shock. I was a commoner, one of the middle-class. I've never mingled with the nobles of England and I had never expected to. My mind was drawing a blank at what this letter could possibly entail. Perhaps if I knew which family this was from...

"Well, open it dear. I want to know what it says," Louisa stood behind me as she peered over my shoulder in curiousity.

I nodded in agreement before carefully sliding my finger underneath the folded tab. Careful to keep the seal intact, I opened up the envelope and my eyes were met beautiful cursive script.

As I read the heading of the letter, my eyes nearly bulged out from their sockets, my jaw practically became unhinged.

"T-The..._Phantomhive Family_?! Isn't that the family that runs the Funtom Company? That's a global enterprise!" I exclaimed breathlessly before pulling my eyes further down the letter.

I nearly choked on the next sentence. This had to be a prank, it was completely absurd! To think, the Earl of Phantomhive, inviting me to attend a party_ at his Manor_! These things didn't happen it real life, it just didn't!

My mind was running around it circles trying to make sense of it all. A noble, and the esteemed _Earl Phantomhive_ no less, was requesting my presence in his home! I could hardly get passed the very idea that a noble would even know who I was! I can't remember ever encountering the Earl, and if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't have forgotten it!

"Oh, darling! This is so exciting! To think, I'm married to a man who'll be entertaining an _Earl_ in just a little over a week!" My wife jumped into the air with a level of excitement that nearly surpassed my own. "It's too bad I can't attend...You _must_ tell me all that happens! I will not allow for any summarizing!"

Still in shock, I could barely respond. My wide eyes stared up at my wife in disbelief.

"Well, there's your adventure, my dear Arthur. You couldn't have asked for a better opportunity," Louisa patted me on my chest encouragingly.

After a few moments, I finally gave a nervous chuckle. "Heh...Yeah."

I suppose today wasn't as ordinary as I had originally thought.

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**A/N: So what do you guys think? Should there be a continuation? This could stand alone as a random oneshot, but I realized the more I wrote, the more I got into it. I'm seriously contemplating going through the entire arc in Arthur's POV. That'll be fun, wouldn't it? *giggles***

**Oooooh, his interactions with Ciel would be so much fun to write! :)**

**I did a bit of research into the biography of Arthur Conan Doyle, and it's actually quite interesting! I incorporated a little bit of it into this snippet, so I will give credit to (remove the space):**

**sherlockholmesonline . org**

**Wikipedia . org**

**sirconandoyle . com**

**Haha anyways, please read and review! I'm always hungry for feedback!**


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